Wheel



Aug. 25, 1936. F F ANK 2,051,838

WHEEL Filed June 29, 1932 FREDBEYRKZK C. FRANK ATTORNEY INVENTOR;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WHEEL Frederick 0. Frank,

South Bend, Ind., assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, Ind., a corporation of Delaware South Bend,

Application June 29, 1932, SerialNo. 620,011

4 Claims.

This invention relates to wheels and more particularly to wheels for aircraft.

Broadly, the invention comprehends an exceedingly cheap and simple wheel designed primarily for use on planes having a relatively small gross weight.

The 'wheel including similar radial load-carrying disks arranged to support a relatively thin rolled sheet of metal rim, and retaining flanges for securing the rim to the disks including locking rings which completely fill spaces between the disks and the retaining flanges to present a continuous stream-line profile on the sides of the wheels thereby reducing the possibility of air currents building and creating parasitic drag.

The wheel houses a simple brake structure including a disk positioned in a recess in the face of one of the radial load-carrying disks of the wheel and means for actuating the disk to engage the radial load-carrying disk to eficctively retard rotation of the wheel.

An object of the invention is to provide a wheel for aircraft comprising relatively few parts which may be easily and quickly assembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wheel for light aircraft comprising the minimum number of parts, and in which the amount of required machine operation'on the parts during manufacture may be materially reduced.

A feature of the invention is a wheel for light aircraft including two similar castings, each comprising a hub portion and a radial load-carrying disk, the hub portions being assembled on a sleeve, the ends of which are turned to secure the hub portions together.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, which forms a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a wheel embodying the invention; and

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the brake structure.

Referring to the drawing for more specific details of the invention, Ill represents an axle having secured thereto a sleeve l2 providing a suitable shoulder I4 and a support for a brake structure l6, to be hereinafter described. The axle has sleeved thereon a washer l8 secured against displacement by a retaining ring Ill bolted or otherwise secured in place. Positioned on the axle are suitable spaced bearings 22 and 24, one engaging the shoulder H on the sleeve l2 and the other engaging the washer l8. These races support the hub of the wheel.

The wheel comprises ,similar castings 26 and 28 each including a hub portion 30, and radial load-carrying disks 32. As shown, the hub por- 5 tions are arranged in reverse position on a sleeve 34, the ends of which are turned as indicated at 36 to secure the hub portions together. Each of the radial load-carrying disks is provided with an inwardly extending flange 38 and circuml0 ferential groove 40. The flanges 38 support a relatively thin rolled sheet metal rim 42 and sleeved on the rim are retaining flanges 44. The retaining flanges are provided with annular shoulders 46 in which are seated retaining or 1 locking rings 48 having portions engaging the circumferential grooves 40 in the flanges 38. The retaining rings completely fill the'spaces between the retaining flanges and the radial load-carrying disks.

To more eifectively secure the hub portions together and to retain the load-carrying disks in engagement with the respective edges of the rim stay rods 50 are connected between the radial load-carrying disks preferably adjacent the pe- 25 riphery of the wheel.

As shown, the radial load-carrying disks are provided with recesses or depressions 52, one of which has seated therein a disk 54 which efiectively houses the end of the axle. The depres- 30 sion or recess in the other radial load-carrying disk houses an axially movable brake disk 56 having a frictional lining 58 adaptable for engagement with the radial load-carrying disk. The brake disk 56 is movable axially on the sleeve 35 I 2 to apply the brake by a yoke 60 pivoted on a bracket 82 suitably secured to the axle.

Although this invention has been described in connection with certain specific embodiments, the principles involved are susceptible of numer- '40 ous other applications that will readily occur to persons skilled in the art. The invention is, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the various features of 4 the invention, what I claim as new and desire to 2. A wheel comprising two castings each havcess therein adjacent the outer edge thereof, said ing a hub portion, a radial load carrying disc disc portions having similar oppositely disposed portion, and an inwardly extending annular depressions to receive a cover plate and a disc flange portion on the periphery of said disc porbrake respectively the disc surface within the tion, said hub portion having an annular bearbrake depression being adapted to function as a 5 ing recess therein adjacent the outer edge therebrake disc, a sleeve in the hub portions having of, said disc portions having similar oppositely its ends flared in to said bearing recesses to hold disposed depressions to receive a cover plate and said castings together, a tubular rim secured on a disc brake respectively, the disc surface within the inwardly extending flange of each of said the brake depression being adapted to function disc portions between annular shoulders on said 10 as a brake disc, a sleeve in the hub portions havflanges, and tire retaining ring flanges detaching its ends flared in to said bearing recesses to ably secured to said disc and flange portions and hold said castings together, and a tubular rim extending inwardly over said tubular rim.

secured on the inwardly extending flange of each 4. A wheel comprising two castings each havof said disc portions between annular shoulders ing an outer disc portion, a hub portion, an in- 15 on said flanges. weirdly-extending flange portion on the outer 3. A wheel comprising two castings, each havedge of said disc portion, and a shoulder in each ing ahub portion, a radial load carrying disc porhub portion, and a sleeve in the hub portions tion, and an inwardly extending annular flange having its ends flared around said shoulders to portion on the periphery of said disc portion, hold said castings together. 20 said hub portion having an annular bearing re- FREDERICK C. FRANK. 

